F For Fake

More importantly, this weekend was the 9th Annual Kentuckiana G.I. Joe Expo. It's crazy how this show has grown from its very humble beginnings. Next year they're moving to a convention center about 15 minutes outside of town, which is a bit of a bummer, but apparently the host hotel was raising rates on them, and this new location will allow them to have everything in one big room, and allow for break-out rooms, panels, etc. I've been to the new spot for comic shows before, so I'm at least familiar with it. At any rate, I go to this show every year with a loose plan, and this year it all worked out pretty well. First up, I hit the $5 bins to get some loose Dreadnoks for displays, as well as a few other guys. The thing I love about a show like this is, for example, I picked out a loose Hardball from the $5 bin at one table, then went to another and found his gun and backpack for a buck each. So, $7 for a complete figure. He's not in perfect shape, but he's good enough for this display. I also had a Cobra Commander gun at home, so I found this Hooded Coco loose for $20 along with a file card they threw in for free, and now he's complete! I also always look for complete boxed Battle Stations and Battle field accessory sets. This year I picked up a LAW, and tracked down a really nice Hawk and Mainframe to complete the displays. As some of you may know, I like to get display the pieces with figures that correspond to the box art, as I am a super nerd. I also wanted to round out my boxed Dreadnoks display, so I picked up a Dreadnok Cycle. Box is a little beat, but it included the instructions and catalog. I think I'll actually keep the Dreadnok Cycle I already have, as it's a little nicer, but I'm happy to have the box and inserts for my display. I was looking for an loose Zandar to display with the cycle, but couldn't find one for less than $15. I guess that's not bad for a loose complete figure these days, but 1. I don't need a complete figure for this display, I have a complete one for my collection and 2. I can remember just a short three or four years ago when you could find them in the loose bins for $2-$3, so I just can't make myself pay more than $5 for one now! Finally, I wanted to get one large item, for sure. My #1 choice was a Tactical Battle Platform, but I didn't find one. So, my #2 choice was a Rolling Thunder, and I found a really nice one complete with decent box. I never had this one as a kid, man, it's enormous! Going to have to figure out where the hell I'm going to put it. So, another year, another great show. I never have enough cash to get all of the great bargains, but I was happy that I came away with one large item, one Dreadnok piece, one Battle Station, and a handful of loose figures. All in all, I'd call it a success!

It was a good toy weekend for me. First up, Transformers! My Selects Cyclonus (i.e. original toy deco) showed up this weekend. Same mold as Kingdom, obviously, but in the deep, rich purple of the original G1 figure. Oddly, the elbows and upper arms on mine are REALLY loose. I don't usually run into joint problems, and this isn't a mold they've done to death, so I was a little surprised. I plan on displaying him in jet mode, as I love the design, and he can be "His Armada" to my Kingdom Cyclonus. Speaking of which, I've worked on my modern TF display a bit. My Detolfs are full of vintage TF and Joes, so I had to convert a bookshelf into a modern TF display. It is black, like, "none more black" black, so I tried brightening it up with some puck lights and led strips. Looks ok for now. This is my '86 movie display. Still need a few guys to round it out, but you get the basic idea.

They've reprinted the first three, so I guess that just leaves...Trial of Captain America, and Return of the Winter Soldier? Is that right? So far I'm not aware of any announcements of those volumes, but I'd have to think they're coming, since they've reprinted the rest of the line, and the first two sold out pretty quickly, yet again. So, it may take some time, but I'd be very surprised if they don't finish the line, and probably go back to print on the first two books yet again.

One of my favorite books! Initially I was at 6.5-7 due to the ink rub near the spine, and the fingerprint/divot. They seem to really hate those fingerprints. Those along with the spine cracks have a cumulative effect. Hope I'm wrong and it goes higher for you!.

The branching options on Fallout 4 are interesting, much like they were in New Vegas. I did the Railroad ending first, as I considered that the "right" ending. Then I went back to my save and did the Minutemen, and then Brotherhood of Steel. Once I'd finished those endings, I went back to that original Railrod save point and did the DLC. Each ending offers different perks, and they're all pretty fun. Morally I cannot align myself with BoS, but they do have some pretty neat weapons and gizmos, so it's fun to give them a try.

Congrats, folks! Cool comics and cool people, what's better?

My pleasure. Glad it went to a boardie, and sorry for running it up on you!

I don't have any evidence of any kind, but I tend to believe the answer is yes. All of the other portraits appear to be in the style of those artists, and Kosmo has that thin, feathery ink link that I associate with Dave. So I'm ASSUMING he did that bit as well, but definitely don't have anything to back it up with other than my gut. I got my copy many years ago, but just saw online that there's apparently a second print? I guess I need to go check mine out...

I never begrudge dealers from making money, but I'm also all about the prices coming back down so I can get more books. I'm not particularly worried about the value of my collection (aside from insurance purposes) because it's a hobby, not a retirement fund. It would be a bummer if the whole thing bottomed out completely, but I don't THINK that will happen. And if it does, well, I've still got a bunch of cool books, as opposed to if I'd sunk my money into nfts or crypto or whatever. When those bottom out, you have jack squat. The smart sellers made hay while the sun was shining. Good for them. They had a bonanza the last couple of years. Now, as prices come down, they will STILL make their money, as they will be buying books the same way they were buying them before the spike. It's all about the margins. Books may not sell for as much as they have sold for these last two years, but that also means the dealers won't be paying as much for the books, and can work a better margin. I mean, there for a while, I know of several sellers who were basically paying FMV for keys because there was no other way to get them, and prices kept going up. Dealers who have been in the game a long time are going to be fine, because they've weathered several ups and downs of the market already. Smart sellers will continue to make money, and collectors will be able to afford more books. I think things are going to work out just fine.

100%. Also, as far as I'm concerned, Norman Osborn died a looooong time ago. Anything beyond that, I remain agnostic.

I haven't kept up with moderns for quite some time, but I've wondered if the endless regurgitation of the same concepts (Spider-Gwen, Gwenpool, Red Goblin at Marvel, various Joker and Bat spinoffs at DC) was due to creators wanting to make something new, but also not wanting to give Marvel/Disney or DC/Warner their original creations, since they won't see any money on the back-end. So, just re-use the same old stuff to make "new" characters, and keep the original characters for that big Image/Kickstarter/whatever payday.

Yeah, I've a lot of complaints about the reboot books, so my expectations are low. I haven't read any of them yet, but I did pick up the HC's, to keep the collection complete. Once I do my read-through, if I don't care for them, I may sell them off. But I wanted to read everything, altogether, in order, at least once.

You're a scholar and a gentleman!

Thanks bud! So, I haven't read it yet, but my understanding is that it was a recent miniseries, like from last year, so a whole new story, which I assume is set in the current IDW continuity (which I guess rebooted after Phase 3?) For the newer IDW stuff I'm just buying them as they come out, and will read then once I do my big readthrough from the beginning. So, I guess we'll see how this one stacks up! it was only like $17 or something, so no major loss if it stinks ha

I'd really like to check them all out at some point. I actually first heard about them via Jaime Hernandez, who has spoken about them as an influence, which I wouldn't have guessed. Really cool stuff!

A couple of thing showed up this weekend. Finally bit the bullet on the most recent Captain America by Brubaker reprint. It had been sitting in my wish list at 50% off at IST for several weeks. FIgured it was time to go ahead and grab it before it eventually sells out. I loved this run the first time I read it, I think I'll hold off until they're done reissuing the whole series before I read it again. These new editions are so thin, I'm a little concerned about what the paper is going to be like. Also grabbed this new Transformers HC in order to keep that collection up to date. Once IDW officially loses the TF license, I'm going to read all of the HC's in order. Should be fun. And this Jaime wrasslin' ladies book I've been meaning to buy finally got down to like $15 on Amazon, so it was time to grab it as well.

I've also been indulging some 90's nostalgia as prices are climbing back down.The purple-webbed Spidey has always been my favorite of those covers. May put together a set now that prices are returning to sanity.

I won some cheap stuff, like, probably cheaper than the cost of grading, for a couple of potential registry sets. Have a hard time turning down 9.8's for like $25. And I just threw a nonsense bid on the 'Mazing Man and won it for $15! Feel bad for the seller. I've always liked this book. For a creator that is so closely associated with Batman, he's actually not done very many covers. So, a copper age TDR Bats from Miller, in 9.6, for $15...I'm still pretty stunned. Then again, I may just have terrible taste!

Ooh, cool book! I gave that one some thought myself. Glad it went to a cool boardie of good taste!

Hands off my system. I use it flatten comics and seduce cosplay girls!

Still a GREAT book! I had a 9.6 for YEEEEAAAAARS before I got my 9.8. Never give up!

Holy flurking snit!

Great report, thanks so much for sharing!

I refer to that big spreadsheet you sent me all of the time!

Seems like a lot of Fried Pie variants ended up at Second and Charles. The couple that I've been to had HUGE supplies of them a couple of years ago. I went to a S&C in another town a couple of weeks ago, and they still had a few. But I don't buy moderns very often, or variants hardly at all, so I didn't pick any up. Off the top of my head it seemed like they were mostly Star Wars, Iron Man and Black Widow on the last visit.